trailer Oldsmobile Cutlass 1998 Owner's Manuals

Passlock@
Your vehicle is equipped with the passlock
theft-deterrent system.
Passlock
is a~passive theft-deterrent system. The system
is armed once the key is removed from the ignition.
Passlock enables fuel if the ignition lock cylinder is
turned with a valid key.
If a correct key is not used, fuel
is disabled.
During
normal operation, the THEFT SYSm light
will go
off after the engine is started.
If the THEFT SYSTEM light flashes, wait until the light
stops flashing before starting the engine.
If the THEFT SYSTEM light comes on while the engine
is running, a problem has been detected and the system
may need service. See your retailer
for service.
In an emergency, cal
Assistance Center at 1 the Oldsmobile Roadside
1-800-442-OLDS
(6537).
New Vehicle “Break-In”
NOTICE:
Your vehicle doesn’t need an elaborate
‘70reak-in.” But
it will perform better in the long
run if you follow these guidelines:
Don’t drive at any one speed -- fast or
slow -- for the first 500 miles (805 km).
Don’t make full-throttle starts.
200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time
your new brake linings aren’t yet broken
in. Hard stops with new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier replacement.
Follow this breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake linings.
See
“Towing a Trailer’’ in the Index for
more information.
Avoid making hard stops for the first
0 Don’t tow a trailer during break-in.
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Automatic ’hansaxle Operation
k Tour automatic transaxle has a shift lever located on the
console between the seats.
PARK (P): This locks your front wheels. It’s the best
position to use when you start your engine because your
vehicle can’t move easily.
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the e&&e
is
running unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured.
To be sure your
vehicle won’t move, even when you’re
on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to
PARK (P).
See “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in the Index. I€
you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing a Trailer” in
the Index.
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~ ~~~~~~
~~ ~~~~ ~ ~~~~~~~~ ~ ~ AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):This position is for
normal driving.
If you need more power for passing,
and you’re:
Going less than 35 mph (56 km/h), push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (56 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator all the way down. You’ll shift down to
the next gear and have more power.
NOTICE:
If your vehicle seems to start up rather slowly, or
if it seems not to shift gears as you go faster,
something may be wrong with
a transaxle system
sensor.
If you drive very far that way, your
vehicle can be damaged.
So, if this happens, have
your vehicle serviced right away. Until then, you
can use SECOND
(2) when you are driving less
than
35 mph (56 kmh) and AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE
(D) for higher speeds.
~ .~ ~~
~~~~~~~~ ~ ~ ~ ~~
THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal
driving, however, it offers more power and lower fuel
economy than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D). Here
are some times you might choose THIRD
(3) instead of
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):
When driving on hilly, winding roads.
When towing a trailer, so there is less shifting
When going down a steep hill.
SECOND
(2): This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy. You can use SECOND
(2) on hills.
It can help control your speed as you
go down steep
mountain roads, but then you would also want to use
your brakes
off and on.
between gears.
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NOTICE:
Driving with the parking brake on can cause
your rear brakes to overheat. You may have to replace them, and you could also damage other
parts
of your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on a hill, see
“Towing a Trailer”
in the Index. That section shows
what to do first to keep the trailer
fkom moving.
Shifting Into PARK (P)
L
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and
set the parking brake.
2-23

Running Your Engine While
You’re Parked
It’s better not to park with the engine running. But if you
ever have to, here are
some things to know.
Idling the engine with the climate control
system off could allow dangerous exhaust into
your vehicle (see the earlier Caution under
“Engine Exhaust”).
Also, idling in a closed-in place can let deadly
carbon monoxide (CO) into your vehicle even
if
the fan switch is at the highest setting. One place
this can happen is
a garage. Exhaust -- with
CO
-- can come in easily. NEVER park in a
garage with the engine running.
Another closed-in place can be a blizzard.
(See “Blizzard”
in the Index.)
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle won’t
ove. See “Shifting Into
PARK (P)” in the Index.
JI you are parking on a hill and if you’re pulling a
trailer, also see “Towing a Trailer’’ in the Index.
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This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition
is on and the engine is not
running. If the light doesn’t come on, have it repaired.
This light will also come on during a malfunction in one
of two ways:
Light Flashing -- A misfire condition has been
detected.
A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system on your vehicle. Retailer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service may be required.
0 Light On Steady -- An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Retailer or qualified service center diagnosis and service may be required.
If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
Reducing vehicle speed.
Avoiding hard accelerations.
Avoiding steep uphill grades.
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.
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Section 4 Your Driving and the Road
Here you’ll find information about driving on different kinds of roads and in varying weather conditions. We’ve asu
included many other useful tips on driving.
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4-3 4-6
4-6
4-9
4-11 4- 12
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4-16 Defensive Driving
Drunken
Driving
Control
of a Vehicle
Braking Steering
Off-Road Recovery
Passing
Loss of Control
Driving at Night
Driving
in Rain and on Wet Roads 4-19
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4-32 City Driving
Freeway Driving
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Highway Hypnosis
Hill and Mountain Roads
Winter Driving Recreational Vehicle Towing
Loading
Your Vehicle
Towing a Trailer
4-1

Your vehicle can tow a trailer if it is equipped with the
proper trailer towing equipment. To identify what the
vehicle trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you
should read the information
in “Weight of the Trailer”
that appears later
in this section. But trailering is
different than just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in handling, durability and
fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this part. In it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your safety and that of
your passengers.
So please read this section carefully
before you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the engine, transaxle,
wheel assemblies and tires are forced to work harder
against the drag
of the added weight. The engine is
required to operate at relatively higher speeds and under greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s more, the
trailer adds considerably to wind resistance, increasing
the pulling requirements.
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
0
0
0
0
0
There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal, not only where you live but
also where you’ll be driving. A good source for this
information can be state or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control. You can ask
a hitch
dealer about sway controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first
1,000 miles
(1 600 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle
or other parts could be damaged.
Then, during the first
500 miles (800 Ian) that you
tow a trailer, don’t drive over
50 mph (80 km/h) and
don’t make starts at full throttle.
This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a trailer.
Don’t drive faster than the maximum posted speed
for trailers (or no more than
55 mph (90 lun/h)) to
save wear on your vehicle’s
parts.
4-33
I

Three important considerations have to do with weight:
the weight of the trailer,
0 the weight of the trailer tongue
and the total weight on your vehicle’s tires.
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never weigh more than 1,000 lbs.
(450 kg). But
even that can be too heavy.
It depends on how you plan to use your rig. For
example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature and how much your vehicle is used to pull a
trailer are all important. And,
it can also depend on any
special equipment that you have
on your vehicle. You
can ask your retailer for our trailering information
or advice, or you can write us at:
Oldsmobile Customer Assistance Center
P.O. Box 30095
Lansing, MI 48909
In Canada, write to:
General Motors of Canada Limited
Customer Communication Centre
1908 Colonel
Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario L1H
8P7
Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important
weight to measure because
it affects the total or gross
weight of your vehicle. The Gross Vehicle Weight
(GVW) includes the curb weight of the vehicle, any
cargo you may carry in it, and the people who
will be
riding in the vehicle. And
if you tow a trailer, you must
add the tongue load to the
GVW because your vehicle
will be carrying that weight, too. See “Loading Your
Vehicle” in the
Index for more information about your
vehicle’s maximum load capacity.
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t
A B
lr you’re using a weight-carrying hitch, the trailer
tongue
(A) should weigh 10 percent of the total loaded
trailer weight
(B). If you have a weight-distributing
hitch, the trailer tongue
(A) should weigh 12 percent of
the total loaded trailer weight (B).
After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and
then the tongue, separately, to see if the weights are
proper.
If they aren’t, you may be able to get them right
simply by moving some items around in the trailer.
Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated to the upper
limit for cold tires. You’ll find these numbers on the
Certification label at the rear edge of the driver’s door or
see “Loading Your Vehicle” in the Index. Then be sure
you don’t
go over the GVW limit for your vehicle,
including the weight of the trailer tongue.
Hitches
It’s important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by and rough roads are a
few reasons why you’ll need the right hitch. Here are
some rules to follow:
The rear bumper on your vehicle is not intended for
hitches.
Do not attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to it. Use only a frame-mounted
hitch that does not attach to the bumper.
Will you have to maJse any holes in the body of your
vehicle when you install a trailer hitch?
If you do,
then be sure to seal the holes later when you remove
the hitch. If you don’t seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide
(CO) from your exhaust can get into your
vehicle (see “Carbon Monoxide” in the Index).
Dirt
and water can, too.
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